Reading the Chicago Tribune article on DHA additives in formula, triggered
to me to finally post about a huge mistake I think we make.

We shouldn't be identifying ourselves as "breastfeeding advocates".

Note in the Tribune story:

"breastfeeding activists have grown increasingly incensed
over the new products"

"Walker and some other breast-feeding promoters
want the new formulas pulled from store shelves."

"We're advocates for the best nutrition for infants. If a mom decides not to
breast-feed, there should be no guilt or fear that her baby is not getting
the best nutrition," said Gail Wood, spokeswoman for Mead Johnson
Nutritionals, maker of Enfamil Lipil."

By identifying ourselves as "breastfeeding" advocates, supporters,
activists, promoters, whatever, we are placing our "agenda", "breastfeeding"
as more important than everything else.  It makes it sound like we want
breastfeeding to happen, above all other costs.  To many people, this sounds
like we want women to breastfeed even if they will be depressed, or hate it,
or even is the baby isn't getting enough milk, or the family goes bankrupt,
or is disrupted by a demanding baby.

WE need to be saying that we are "child" advocates, or "family" advocates,
or "health" advocates.  After all, that's what we really want, what we are
really advocating for, isn't it?  WE KNOW that its really family health, and
family happiness, that is achieved through breastfeeding.  WE KNOW that the
first rule of breastfeeding is "feed the baby", then "fix the
breastfeeding".  But the public would never know that.  They would think it
was "breastfeed or else!".  That's because we have always identified
ourselves as "breastfeeding" advocates.

In marketing, there is a very basic concept called "avoiding marketing
myopia".  Marketing myopia is the failure of management to recognize the
scope of its business.  This happens when you are product focused rather
than customer oriented.  You can't define yourself too narrowly.

The classic example is railroads.  Railways thought of themselves as being
in the "railway business", rather than the "transportation business", and
thus lost much of the trucking business.

Parents may be deciding whether to breast or bottle feed, but REALLY they
are worried about how to keep their baby healthy and happy, and how to
survive parenthood.  That's why the baby gurus, like Ezzo, Baby Whisper, etc
become popular, they don't go forward promoting THEIR agenda, they are
selling family harmony, health etc.

The formula co's know what they are selling - family harmony.  Look at their
ads, some barely mention or show formula - they just show a blissfully happy
mother and baby.  In the quote above, THEY have staked off the territory of
"infant nutrition advocates" for themselves!  That's what WE need to be
calling ourselves!

Seriously, we somehow need to be selling our services as "health promoters"
or "baby happiness experts" or something.  We have to have the appearance of
being open to whatever it takes to bring family health and happiness, even
if that is formula.  WE know that in almost all cases, the best health and
happiness outcomes will come from breastfeeding.  But by saying we are
breastfeeding advocates, it sound like the breastfeeding is more important
that anything else.

Janice Reynolds
(apologizing for all the emphatic languages, capitals and exclamation
points!)

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